Drilling into porcelain tiles

Drilling into porcelain tiles is a lot trickier than drilling holes in ceramic tiles as porcelain is a much harder material. Therefore rather than using a standard spear shaped tile bit that is used for ceramic tiles (see my guide – ‘Fixing into tiles’), you need to use a diamond drill bit, which is specifically designed for making holes in hard tiles. Like any drill bits, diamond bits come in a number of different sizes, so you need to select the right size of bit for the job at hand and for the example below I’m showing how to use a 15mm diamond drill bit for drilling into porcelain tiles.

1. Diamond drill bits for cutting holes in tiles are effectively hole saws that simply fit into the chuck of any cordless drill.

2. Mark on your tile where you need the hole to be cut, and cover with some masking tape. This tape will help stop the drill bit slipping when you begin to drill.

3. Start the drill up on a slowish speed, keeping it well supported in both hands. It can help to hold the drill so that the bit is at a slight angle to the surface of the tile. This helps to stop the bit slipping and gets the hole started.

4. Once you’ve made a start, move the drill up into a vertical position and continue to drill, applying even light pressure as you drill down through the tile.

5. You need to keep the bit cool whilst drilling, otherwise it will wear out incredibly quickly. One way to do this is to keep some water in a container next to where you’re drilling, and regularly dip the bit in the water to cool it down.

6. The diamond bit will cut through the tile providing your required hole, after which you simply clean up the residue and dust the tile off.

Porcelain tile drilling tips

In this example the tile is being drilled before being fitted in place. I’ve simply positioned the tile on an offcut of plasterboard, alternatively you could clamp it on a workbench. In whichever case, make sure the tile is adequately supported.

If the tile is already in position on the wall or floor, the principles of the technique remain exactly the same.

If you prefer, you can buy a drill guide tool to help start off the hole in the tile.

Share with friends

Recent posts

Categories

Categories

Archive

Archive

HOW THIS WEBSITE WORKS

The aim of this site is to provide the best advice, guides, techniques and tips on all aspects of DIY and Home Improvement. However, your use of any information or materials on this website is entirely at your own risk, for which I shall not be liable.

On this site, I make many recommendations for tools and materials, and where to buy them. All the products I recommend are my choice and mine alone, and are not influenced by sponsorship from any manufacturer to recommend their products.

With some of these recommendations, I receive a small commission from the retailer in question, if you click from my site, to theirs, and make a purchase. Therefore if you like my information, please follow my links if you are going to make an online purchase - it does help me to keep this site free.

This website does use cookies which aim to improve user experience. For more information on cookies including how to disable their use, see the website Privacy Policy.